Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Decisions, Decisions!

"I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there is no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me." --Charles Swindoll (Bold Mine)

I love this quote - and I hate it!

Choice of attitude is simple, yet it requires action on my part.  My human instincts are to go with the circumstances, let my moods flow freely with my surroundings.  But I will lose every battle this way.

To choose to be satisfied in all circumstances is powerful, but in my own strength I am not capable of making this decision every time.  How about you?  Do you always choose the right attitude in every circumstance?

Is all hope lost?  Absolutely Not!  Lets look at what the Bible says:

1 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV) "And he said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Paul wrote this after receiving a thorn in his flesh.  While we don't know exactly what the thorn was, it certainly stood as a constant reminder of his need for Christ.  He had a decision.  Let the constant pain bring him down, or decide to lean on God and have a good attitude.  He, of course, chose the latter, but only with Christ's help.

We, too can choose the right attitude every time, if we learn to lean on Christ at all times.

How can we lean on God?  By reading and memorizing scriptures as well as daily communion with Him in prayer and praise.

Today, I choose to lean on Christ for the right attitude.  May my weaknesses bring Him glory as I give it all to Him!

1 comment:

Patricia Likakis said...

Hi, Sonya. Thought I'd drop by and say hello. It's been a while. Hope all is well. Funny, I just wrote a blog entry recently about choices. We have the freedom to choose our attitudes every minute. I love the verse Ps. 118:24 "This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." Reminds me I can choose to be happy or miserable. It is up to me, but God wants me to be happy despite my circumstances as we know they are all working for our good, even though it doesn't feel like it a lot of the time, does it? My pen name is showing up somehow, but this is Pattie from the Philly Writers Conf. Enjoy your summer and keep looking up!